Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT SamiaSuluhu Hassan yesterday led Tanzanians to receive a newly bought Bombadier Dash 8-Q400, revealing why the government is investing heavily in the aviation industry.
During the event that was held at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), President Samia also tasked Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) management and staff members to handle with maximum care all the planes that the government is buying and abstain from all forms of sabotage.
She noted that the country is fully determined to increase the number of tourists coming to the country to five million come 2025, up from one million as per records of 2016.
“Our country is also focusing on increasing the volume of exports, and the only way to attain the target is to ensure availability of a vibrant national carrier,” she explained shortly before the new plane touched down at the JNIA for the first time.
Giving out statistics, President Samia said the revival of ATCL planes has enabled the national carrier to increase the number of monthly passengers from 4,000 in 2016 to 60,000 this year.
Moreover, she said ATCL has dominated 73 per cent of the local market share, being an increase from 2.5 percent in 2016. According to her, after increasing the number of passengers, the government has also seen the importance of buying cargo planes for the sake of exploring opportunities on airlifting goods within and outside the country.
“Available statistics show that in 2019, ATCL earned a total of 700 million US dollars from cargo business, and it is projected that by 2025, the country will be in a position to earn 2 billion US dollars from the business,” said the Head of State.
Earlier, Chief Secretary Ambassador Hussein Katanga and the Permanent Secretary the Transport Portfolio in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Gabriel Migire signed a lease agreement for the new plane to be operated by ATCL.
ATCL Managing Director, Engineer Ladislaus Matindi said ATCL through its five-year strategic plan (2017 / 18- 2021/2022) and considering the geographical realities of the nation regionally and globally aim to have domestic, regional and international trips in a productive commercial way.
“We need short, medium and long-range flights. This aircraft brings the number of short-range aircrafts to five, mid-range and regional two airbuses 220 aircrafts, and we expect to receive two such aircraft in October this year,” he said.
He said in terms of long-distance flights, they have two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircrafts, and the provision of such a system provides an opportunity for Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) to become a hub and a commercial opportunity in the value chain of the air transport market.
According to him, ATCL’s successes include re-membership to international and continental airlines, reintroduction into the international ticketing system, and making their tickets available worldwide Eng Matindi said ATCL has successfully met the criteria for operational safety audit by International Air Transport Association (IATA) and awarded the IOSA certificate.
“We have developed friendly ticket sales systems, including through our website, local and foreign agents and ATCL offices while we have added ticket payment systems to facilitate the use of mobile money services and bank cards,” he noted The MD further said the aircraft hangar had been upgraded and started making minor and major repairs, in which for the first-time major repairs of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were carried out at their hangar at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).
These repairs in the country allow them to save over 1 million US dollars. ATCL has expanded its travel network to local stations, where they started with four stations and now there are 15 regional trips which have increased from one from Hahaya Comoros station to seven stations in Bujumbura, Entebbe, Harare, Lusaka, Guangzhou and Johannesburg.
However, trips to Bujumbura station have not returned because of the Corona virus pandemic due to a shortage of passengers, and Johannesburg trips have been suspended because of legal reasons.
Minister for Works and Transport, Dr Leonard Chamuriho said the new plane makes a total of nine aircrafts which have so far been purchased by the government since the revival of Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL).
He said that the arrival of the plane will enable ATCL to continue providing reliable services and increase the number of flights within and outside the country.
Dr Chamuriho expressed gratitude to the government for continuing to purchase planes which will help to promote trade, tourism, agriculture, fisheries and livestock.
He said that according to ATCL strategic plan, the company plans to extend its wings to Lubumbashi, Kinshasa, Ndola, Nairobi Dubai, Muscat and London.
